Display device



Feb. 4, 1936. J. 0. GRAY DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Sept. 5, 1933 "WI/V70)? J. a GRAY 5y l- M ATTOR/VD Patented Feb. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

My invention relates to a display device and more particularly to a displaying of writing supplies such as fountain pens, pencils, ink and the 5 One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a device for demonstrating the balance and writing qualities of fountain pens.

A further object is to provide a device for continuously writing on a transversely moving strip of paper.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

A complete understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the actuat- 0 ing means for the pen and paper.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing the device comprises two uprights or standards 6, supporting a top or writing surface I.

One of the standards 6 has a bracket 8 secured thereto which rotatably supports a roll of paper 9 which may be ordinary adding machine paper. The end of the paper roll extends through an aperture II in the writing surface and over this surface to a friction roller l2. This roller 1 is carried by a rotatable shaft 13 which is pivotally mounted in a support It at one end thereof while the other end is releasably supported in a support l5. Thus in order to insert the paper 'under roller I2 the shaft is tilted upwardly in i support It. The shaft is held in its operative position in support l5 by a resilient member 16.

Underneath the writing surface is an electric motor II, which is connected to a speed reducing mechanism l8. This speed reducing mechanism has a gear l9 which carries a crank arm 2| and a lever 22 having a rigidly connected downwardly extending extension 20 is pivotally mounted at 23 and is connected to the crank arm 2| through a link 24. It will be seen therefore that when the motor I! is in operation an oscillating or swinging motion will be imparted to lever 22. The lever 22 has a hand 25 rigidly secured to its upper end and a fountain pen 2|; is suspended from the hand by a string 21.

It has been found that when the pen is properly balanced it will swing to and fro in a straight line and the pen point resting on the paper will move transversely of the paper in a substantially straight line even though the paper is slowly moving.

In order to move the paper transversely to the pen a gear 28 is also connected withthe gear reducing mechanism and a worm gear 29 is driven thereby. The worm gear 29 meshes with a toothed wheel 3| which engages the underside of the paper through an aperture in the writing surface. The friction roller l2 holds the paper in engagement with the wheel 3| so as to be 5 rotated thereby. The relative speeds of the movement of the paper and the to and fro movement of the pen are preferably so adjusted that the lines formed by the pen point on the paper will be closely adjacent to one another. Thus the invention lends itself admirably to the .demonstration of the balance and writing qualities of a fountain pen as well as the writing qualities of the ink used therein.

It is obvious that the hand supporting the pen may have the pen secured directly thereto so that the pen cannot rotate due to movement of the paper.

While the invention has been described in connection with a particular embodiment thereof, it will be understood that this embodiment is merely illustrative and that many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a writing surface, means for moving a strip of paper over said surface, an arm, a fountain pen freely suspended from said arm close enough to 30 said paper to cause the pen to press lightly against said paper, and means for swinging said arm to and fro.

2. A device of the class described comprising a writing surface, means for supporting a roll of paper under said surface, means for moving said paper over said surface, an oscillating arm, a writing instrument, and means for freely suspending said instrument from said arm close enough to said paper so as to cause the instrument to press by its weight against the surface of the paper.

3. A device of the class described comprising a writing surface, means for supporting a roll of paper under said surface, said surface having an aperture through which said paper extends over said surface, a. roller engaging the writing surface of said paper over an aperture in said supporting surface, a. driving means mounted under said surface, a roll-er actuated by said driving means extending through said aperture to frictionally engage the paper against said first roller, an arm pivotally mounted on said support and extending over said surface to support a. pen in writing engagement with the writing surface of said paper, and a link reciprocatingly actuated by said motor for oscillating said arm.

JOHN DEWITT GRAY. 

